The embodiments described herein relate generally to the field of transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) and more particularly to apparatus, systems, and methods for assisting TEE intubation.
Echocardiography is a common diagnostic procedure that utilizes a transducer to transmit ultrasound waves to, for example, a heart, which deflect or rebound off the structures of the heart. A computer converts the resulting waves and displays them on a screen to allow an operator (e.g., a cardiologist) to assess cardiac structure and function. Some known echocardiograms are obtained from a transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) approach. Echocardiograms obtained from the TTE approach, however, are limited to capturing images through the patient's chest wall. Other known echocardiograms are obtained from a transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) approach. A TEE approach, similar to the TTE approach, allows for capturing of images of the heart, however, the images can be captured from the esophagus rather than through the chest wall. As such, the TEE approach can provide optimal imaging (e.g., clearer images), for example, of heart valves, assessing for left atrial appendage thrombus, examination of intracardiac tumors, assessment for intracardiac shunting, etc., when compared to the TTE approach.
Known TEE probes include a flexible endoscope with an ultrasound transducer at its tip. During the TEE procedure, the probe is inserted into a patient's mouth and advanced into the esophagus. From the esophageal position, the ultrasound beam does not have to travel through the chest wall (as compared to the TTE approach) and therefore offers a much clearer image of several key heart structures, especially the atria and valves, that may not be seen as clearly with a TTE. During the procedure, the cardiologist can rotate the endoscope and examine the heart from different angles.
Further, in known TEE procedures with known TEE devices, an operator inserts the flexible endoscope blindly, i.e., without seeing where the endoscope is moving within the patient. The procedure is typically accomplished by the operator's feel and experience. Some procedures, due in part to the blind nature of the procedure, result in catastrophic complications (e.g., oropharyngeal, esophageal, and/or gastric trauma, perforation, and/or laceration) with high mortality rates. In addition, TEE related complications result in substantial additional cost and additional days for the patient in an intensive care unit.
Thus, a need exists for improved apparatus, systems, and methods for an image capture device configured to be releasably attached to existing TEE probes for insertion into and placement of the TEE probe within a patient's esophagus, and configured to be released from the TEE probe and removed from the esophagus, leaving the transducer at the end of the TEE probe in the proper position (e.g., within the esophagus) for capturing images (e.g., of the heart). Allowing an operator to view the esophagus while placing the TEE probe therein helps to solve the problems resulting from blind intubation. Adding visualization to the TEE procedure can reduce the rate of complications because the operator can accurately use imaging to avoid misplacement of the TEE probe and trauma due in part to varying anatomy. Further, a need exists for providing such imaging capabilities to existing TEE probe models without interfering with the echocardiogram image capture, without requiring significant modifications to existing TEE probe hardware, and without adding significant size (e.g., cross-sectional area) to the TEE probe.